Sept 23 - Today in Rock-n-Roll History...

1966, The 'Rolling Stones 66' 12 date UK tour kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall London. Supported by Long John Baldry, Ike & Tina Turner and The Yardbirds appeared at The Royal Albert Hall, London. Jimmy Page was playing bass, with Jeff Beck on guitar. Michelangelo Antonioni attended this concert and asked The Yardbirds to appear in his forthcoming film Blow Up. Also both Keith Moon and John Entwistle from The Who were in the audience.

1967, Making their UK live debut, The Mothers Of Invention appeared at the Royal Albert Hall London. 

1967, The Box Tops started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Letter', a No.5 hit in the UK. The record went on to sell over four million copies and receive two Grammy nominations. It was also a Top Ten hit for Joe Cocker in 1970.

1968, Working on new songs for their forthcoming ‘White Album’, The Beatles recorded a new John Lennon song ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun In Your Hand’, (working title of 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun'). The title came from the cover of a gun magazine that producer George Martin showed Lennon. Jim Morrison from The Doors came to visit The Beatles in the studio and watched them recording.

1969, The Northern Star newspaper of Northern Illinois University ran a story claiming that Paul McCartney had been killed in a car crash in 1966 and had been replaced by a look-a-like. Russell Gibb of WKNR-FM in Detroit picked up on the claim and the story went worldwide. By late October 1969 the hoax was so well entrenched, that McCartney came out of seclusion at his Scottish farm to deny the story. When McCartney was asked to comment by a reporter visiting Macca’s farm, he replied, “Do I look dead? I’m as fit as a fiddle.”

1971, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at The Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

1980, Bob Marley collapsed on stage during a concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Marley had collapsed in New York's Central Park while jogging, two days before and was told to immediately cancel the US leg, but flew to Pittsburgh to perform one final performance. This was the last time Marley ever appeared on stage performing, Marley died of cancer on in May 1981.

1989, The Eurythmics scored their second UK No.1 album with 'We Too Are One.'

1997, The Rolling Stones kicked off the North American leg of their Bridges To Babylon tour playing the first of two nights at Soldier Field in Chicago.

2000, As part of their UK 'Under A Big Top Tour', Radiohead played the first of three sold nights at London's Tower Hamlets, Victoria Park.

 2006, Neil Young was named artist of the year at the Americana Honors and Awards at the fifth annual event in Nashville, Tennessee. The 60-year-old singer-songwriter released the protest album Living With War this year.

Happy Rock-n-Roll Birthdays to...

1930, Born on this day, Ray Charles, singer songwriter. Charles died on 10th June 2004 aged 73.

1939, Roy Buchanan, US guitarist, first worked with Dale Hawkins, released over 15 solo albums. Died after hanging himself by his own shirt on 14th Aug 1988 in Fairfax County Jail, Virginia after being arrested for drunkenness.

1943, Steve Boone, The Lovin Spoonful.

1943, Toni Basil, US singer actress and dancer.

1949, Bruce Springsteen, US singer, songwriter, 'The Boss'.